Saturday, August 25, 2012

Fashion-tography

It's all about the details, and the theme. If anyone is interested in an outdoors portrait shoot or fashion shoot, let me know on jtionowidjaja@gmail.com I love a challenge and would love to be inspired by what makes you... you! 






This one was for fun, tried to make it look like it was out of a movie!






Tweety.

You were the only one who watched me grow up with unjudged eyes. You would look into my eyes and I knew you were trying to tell me something, you didn't have a care in the world and I always envied you. You would roam care free within our home and you trusted us after years of belonging here with this family. You went to where you wanted, you ate what you wanted and made a mess wherever you were. You would rest your head on my shoulders when you were tired and sick, or when you just wanted company. You never asked more from me because you always knew that I gave everything I had. You preferred the silence, small spaces and heights so you couldn't be disturbed by small people. But when you were tired, you let us kiss you on the forehead because you knew we loved you very much. You were like a 15 year old sibling, but we never really knew if you were a brother or a sister, either way you were the naughty and cheeky. You knew how to annoy us, but you also knew how to make us feel better. You would ring louder than the door bell and welcomed us home after a tough day at school, university and work. We felt so guilty when the water in your bowl was empty, especially when you were desperate for a bath, but when we supplied it to you and apologised, you would squeek a sound of thanks. You slept anywhere and everythere, you trusted us as you closed your eyes and let us feel at home. We would always get so worried when we didn't see you for a couple of days, and when we find you, you would be comfortable and silent. You loved your jewellry, your rice and your vegies. You loved the wind blowing on your face and a rest on the shoulder. You would watch us wherever we went, and would listen to us when we tried to sing or play a song on the instrument. You loved my sister, and you kept her company, all she needed was you, and her for you. You would get angry alot, and scream a lot, but you always made us feel like it wasn't because of us. You had the rosiest cheeks, and you had so much character, especially the little feathers on the top of your head. Thank you for being there for me most of my life. Thank you for never leaving me when I needed you. Thank you for waiting for my sister to come back from Japan, she will miss you the most. Thank you for saying goodbye to each of us in your own way. Thank you for being that little angel in this family that we needed so much. I'm sorry you were left in the cold for so long, and I'm sorry we didn't take you to the vet, I'm sorry you felt so unwell and I hope you weren't in a lot of pain. I'm sorry you couldn't rest your head when you wanted to, and I wished I was there more. I was mourning the death of so many people in my life, and I was suffering in my own mental state, that I didn't realise you were suffering this much. You grew quiet, and your eyes closed often, you were thankful and you expressed your love very well. Thank you little friend, for being in my life, and leaving the way you did, I couldn't ask for you to do anything more. I'm so happy that you can finally rest that head of yours and lie down. We are all thinking about you, and there are so many moments in our life where we can look back and remember you for who you are. You had the heart and soul of being our everything, and no one would even realise that you were a little yellow bird. Like wings of an angel and a heart full of love, this family will miss you so much. 



Rest in Peace Tweety.




Thursday, August 23, 2012

Life, Love and Loss

As we all grow older, we will experience life and love and maybe even the loss of these two valuable things. We know what makes us happy, and we try to forget what makes us angry. But we never forget what makes us hurt. There will be physical pain, that may come and go. But there will be the emotional pain, the one where you cry yourself to sleep at night and wonder why you're still alive, the one where you feel nothing but your heart beating slowly after a break up, or the one where you wish the person you loved would come back to life just to make sure they are okay. 

Life is inevitable. We all grow up, we all grow old, and the scariest part is that we all leave this world. Without sounding too morbid, the best part about knowing this is that it'll make us appreciate the amazing things and people we have in this life. We have eyes to see, ears to listen, legs to help us walk and a mouth to speak and sing. We can express the feelings we want to, and choose the people we want to share those feelings with. 

I decided to write this entry, to remind people - including myself, that we can live the life we want to, if we believe enough to try. I'm reminded by the family and friends I have lost in this life, to see life in a different light. With a different eye. The one where you can feel a message being delivered to you just by looking at it. I hope to never forget the reasons why I have always loved photography. It's the form of art, like music, where you can create and remember an emotion, a message or an inspiration with the blink of an eye. 

Life is so much more than what your eyes are seeing

This one's for you Mr Ryan. Rest In Peace.

Find the Silver Lining.

"I want to seriously think about what I can accomplish with what's left of my life." (Dayswithmyfather.com)
Broken Angel.

It's your life, so make sure you live it. 

- Jane Ashley

Saturday, August 18, 2012

A New Start - The Photography Institute

It's a new era, with a new start to life, future and everything in between. This week was the new turning point in my life, and let's just say it was a tough week. New steps are taken and new ideas were created from them. There are a million possibilities to where I will end up, but there's no point turning away from something I had never tried. It starts with enrolling myself into The Photography Institute Professional Photography Course. Which involves 12 Modules, more than 24 weeks of work, readings and assignments to do. It'll be a kick start to a new challenge, a massive learning curve and a brighter future that rhymes with Diploma. So, I'm completely inspired to live the months ahead with a creative eye, and an open mind to a new perspective. I will be tutored by the famous David Dennings of Eye Candy Photography, and I cannot wait to learn what he has to offer! 

Today I spent my day editing my first Pre-Wedding Photos which will be out soon, and a beautiful Brunch at Delicious Fingers for a Cappucino and Eggs Benedict (My favourite!). With a little inspiration in Black & White while I read my first Module of the course. Hopefully 12 Modules later, I can come back to the same spot and come up with something even better! 





Thank you for reading this far, hopefully if you stick around so I can show you that dreams can come true with hard work and a little bit of faith.

- Jane 

Monday, July 30, 2012

My New Best Friend

This is Rosie, I had the pleasure of keeping her company for 10 days. She joins me in song and dance, listens to me when I serenade of the guitar, loves a good cuddle and encourages me to run when out for a walk. She definitely has personality, selective hearing and a good appetite. She's so camera shy, but somehow I convinced her that I was pretty good at what I do ;) 

Rosie is definitely Aunty Jane's favourite. 








Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Fun Winter Portraits



I had a portrait shoot over the weekend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, walking around Hyde Park was one of the most amazing, fun and inspiring things that I was feeling the creative photography vibe! East Perth at sunset was also amazing because the light of the sun descending over a subject was absolutely stunning. The over exposure to any photo of two people remind me of a pre wedding photo! With a pre wedding photo lined up for mid August, I decided to drag two friends of mine around to different venues just to try it out, and now I can't wait for the real thing! 

Let's say that I am so proud of this photo, I give full credit to Darwin, from Evermore Photography, for giving me a few hints on how to edit a photo like this, and once he had shown me for one of his pre wedding photos, I HAD to try it! What do you think? 

I've learnt so much about candid shots, I used to think it was just stalking someone and capturing a moment that looks memorable. But it's so much more than that! 

Lines, curves, background, lighting and colour. 

Another play with editing colours with an overexposed photo. This colour reminds me of Beauty and the Beast without the beast. 

Focus and bokeh. 

Curves and length. Incorporating flare during this sunset photo definitely has a good warm magazine look to it!

Adding in a little bit of dimension with shadows and alignment. 


I'm hoping for so many more portraits to come, I've realised how fun it can be if the people on either side of the camera just enjoys the time together and knows how to feel no shame at times, it just shows in the photos! I'm looking for a make up artist or someone who likes to get creative with make up, preferably model also, to work with me on projects and capture it for fun! Let me know if you're interested by emailing me on jtionowidjaja@gmail.com

If you know someone who wants portrait shots done around Perth, for a pre wedding, family or kids. Let me know! Thank you for reading this and supporting me! I've definitely come a long way from getting my first DSLR lens ;)

Jane

Saturday, June 30, 2012

But Maybe...


Have you looked down a path and wondered where it would take you? You could stand where you are and have a million different destinations in your mind, you could be afraid of what you might find if you chose to go that way, or you could end up with the regret of never knowing. There are thinkers, those who regret and dreamers. This path could take you to the most amazing places, happiness, success and love. This path could be everything you've thought and dreamed, or more, an unknown future. You stumbled across this path for a reason, maybe it's an opportunity to find what you've been searching for. It could give you purpose for your life. 


A young man falls in love with a young woman from afar, she is beautiful, elegant and popular among her peers. She speaks her mind and lives her dreams, but he does not. He only watches her, listens to her melodic voice as she speaks to him. He thinks of how to express his love to her, he thinks of what to buy her for valentines, he thinks of how happy he is when he is with her. He doesn't think of the future, he only thinks of now, but the saddest part is that he will never have enough courage to act beyond his thoughts. He is a thinker. 



A young woman breaks up with her boyfriend after months of fighting, she cries every night during and after their relationship but she doesn't move on. All she thinks about now is her life with him, he was a charming, smart and handsome man. He made her laugh and they spent all their time together. But all she thought about was his mistakes and how he never knew how to love her. She doesn't date anyone, she is upset and frustrated all the time, but really she refuses to look forward or not brave enough to because all she's ever known are the regrets. She is one who regrets.



You have always dreamed of becoming someone you are not. You imaging yourself standing at the podium, waving your trophy to the loved ones around you, proud of yourself for working so hard to achieve what you did, you want to look back at your life and say, "Yes, I've come this far." or, "Yes, I deserve this." and you want to look forward and tell everyone that, "Yes, it's possible." You start off with a dream, which becomes an ambition, a drive, a motivation to work as hard as you do. You're happy being single or when you share your life with someone, either way you are happy and the opportunities just continue to arise in your horizon. You dream of what life is like when you are happiest, and all you can think about is that. You are a dreamer.



Maybe you were a man who only thought of her, or you were the woman who only looked back to regret a life of hurt. But maybe you were all of the above, and stumbled unexpectedly across a path and wondered where it would take you...


-JTionowidjaja


I've never been brave enough to share entries like this, but I came across this railyway in Fremantle one afternoon, and all I could think of was something along these lines. Hope you enjoyed something a little different. x







Friday, June 29, 2012

A Fighter

This is the most beautiful 3 month old baby boy is the most precious thing that I have ever encountered. I have never really been able to connect with young ones, maybe they can scare me a little. Without indulging too much about my own personal fears and emotions, we had a small family gathering and I had to try my new Sigma 85mm 1.4 on my little baby cousin. He was so quiet and well behaved, with his eyes he would follow wherever the camera went! A perfect little model, with the cutest face in the world. Thanks to my cousins for letting me take such beautiful photos of their boy. This one's a fighter. 









Sunday, June 3, 2012

Photo Literature - Pain

It's been over a year since I got my DSLR, and life has changed since then. I've been blessed with so many opportunities and also given another way to express how I feel. The more experienced I felt with the camera, the more I realised it wasn't about what settings and numbers were correct about a shot, even though it may help to know, it was really the meaning behind a photo and why I had taken it that way. It's all about creativity and what you make out of this art that matters. And this year it has opened my eyes to the possibilities of a new world. I have been unfortunate to come across many deaths in my life this year, and the feeling that you experience with death is like no other. It makes heartbreaks and the little complaints in life, so much smaller. It's definite that you can't compare the type of pain people experience as it's different with everyone. But the pain in losing someone, knowing that you can never talk to them or see them smile or react to your words and actions, is something beyond human understanding.

For those of you who know me, you know it's not like me, to open up and feel vulnerable, I am honestly one of those people who bottle things up until it breaks apart and my poor friends have to pick up the pieces! But, I am one to write things down, or put my thoughts on a photograph, or into a song. Not sure what they call those types of people, but I suppose I am one of them.

I took these three photos and I share them not for sympathy, but for a plea to understand and hopefully hit the same chords with people who are also lost, upset and in pain. And these days, I have taken photos to express how vulnerable I am.

Surrender in Silence - This was one of the most painful photos I took at sunset of the Swan River in Perth, it was quiet, getting dark and cold, but I listened to the waves gently rise and fall it's way onto the reef and sand. Trying to push further up, but pulling away as if in fear.  Surrender yourself to all the pain and suffering.

This was taken quite a while back, and it was taken for my friend who passed away in March this year, I was trying to hold onto the memories we had, looking through the leaves like this gave me hope, and a sense of reassurance that she was there, still full of colour and life. 

This was taken on my iphone4S onto instagram, and I realized how amazing having a camera phone was. The waves symbolize destruction and fear, with unpredictable outcomes to change in directions for the future, but the reflection of the sun made me feel comfort and a sense of hope despite all of this chaos. 
You might feel something completely different here, but that's alright. It's what photos are for. There's just so much freedom in it's meaning here. I used to think that Photography was just putting objects into a still image, and the colours and placement was all you needed for the perfect photo. But I now realise that it's not about that to me. I hope to continue sharing photos with you, and hopefully having the time to describe to you what they mean to me.

Thank you for reading this far, you have no idea how much it means to me that you would stop what you're doing to appreciate my work and my words. I hope they have helped you somehow in what you're going through.

JTionowidjaja Photography


Saturday, June 2, 2012

Landscape and Seascape #1

Going back to capturing and appreciating landscapes has never felt this fun and inspiring. There has been a lot happening this year, and these are just a some I've been taking after work.

Sunsets and Silhouette dreams

It's a circle, I mean cycle.

Point Walter

These times will try hard to define me, but I will hold my head up high

Distance

Greatness upon steadiness

I'm searching for the silver lining where You will wrap Your loving arms around me and tell me that everything will be okay, but the reality of fear sets in, the loneliness hits and I helplessly watch the sun descend with a glimpse of hope in the sky, leaving loved ones behind.

Waiting for hope to return